1 Joab knew that David couldn't stop thinking about Absalom, 2-3 and he sent someone to bring in the wise woman who lived in Tekoa. Joab told her, “Put on funeral clothes and don't use any makeup. Go to the king and pretend you have spent a long time mourning the death of a loved one.” Then he told her what to say.
4 The woman from Tekoa went to David. She bowed very low and said, “Your Majesty, please help me!”
5 David asked, “What's the matter?”
She replied:
My husband is dead, and I'm a widow. 6 I had two sons, but they got into a fight out in a field where there was no one to pull them apart, and one of them killed the other. 7 Now all of my relatives have come to me and said, “Hand over your son! We're going to put him to death for killing his brother.” But what they really want is to get rid of him, so they can take over our land.
Please don't let them put out my only flame of hope! There won't be anyone left on this earth to carry on my husband's name.
8 “Go on home,” David told her. “I'll take care of this matter for you.”
9 The woman said, “I hope your decision doesn't cause any problems for you. But if it does, you can blame me.”
10 He said, “If anyone gives you trouble, bring them to me, and it won't happen again!”
11 “Please,” she replied, “swear by the Lord your God that no one will be allowed to kill my son!”
He said, “I swear by the living Lord that no one will touch even a hair on his head!”
12 Then she asked, “Your Majesty, may I say something?”
“Yes,” he answered.
13 The woman said:
Haven't you been hurting God's people? Your own son had to leave the country. And when you judged in my favor, it was the same as admitting that you should have let him come back. 14 We each must die and disappear like water poured out on the ground. But God doesn't take our lives. Instead, he figures out ways of bringing us back when we run away.
15 Your Majesty, I came here to tell you about my problem, because I was afraid of what someone might do to me. I decided to come to you, because I thought you could help. 16 In fact, I knew that you would listen and save my son and me from those who want to take the land that God gave us.
17 I can rest easy now that you have given your decision. You know the difference between right and wrong just like an angel of God, and I pray that the Lord your God will be with you.
18 Then David said to the woman, “Now I'm going to ask you a question, and don't try to hide the truth!”
The woman replied, “Please go ahead, Your Majesty.”
19 David asked, “Did Joab put you up to this?”
The woman answered, “Your Majesty, I swear by your life that no one can hide the truth from you. Yes, Joab did tell me what to say, 20 but only to show you the other side of this problem. You must be as wise as the angel of God to know everything that goes on in this country.”
21 David turned to Joab and said, “It seems that I have already given my decision. Go and bring Absalom back.”
22 Joab bowed very low and said, “Your Majesty, I thank you for giving your permission. It shows that you approve of me.”
23 Joab went to Geshur to get Absalom. But when they came back to Jerusalem, 24 David told Joab, “I don't want to see my son Absalom. Tell him to stay away from me.” So Absalom went to his own house without seeing his father.
Absalom Was Handsome
25 No one in all Israel was as handsome and well-built as Absalom. 26 His hair grew so thick and heavy that when he got it cut once a year, it weighed over two kilograms.
27 Absalom had three sons. He also had a daughter named Tamar, who grew up to be very beautiful.
Absalom Finally Sees David
28 Absalom lived in Jerusalem for two years without seeing his father. 29 He wanted Joab to talk to David for him. So one day he sent a message asking Joab to come over, but Joab refused. Absalom sent another message, but Joab still refused. 30 Finally, Absalom told his servants, “Joab's barley field is right next to mine. Go set it on fire!” And they did.
31 Joab went to Absalom's house and demanded, “Why did your servants set my field on fire?”
32 Absalom answered, “You didn't pay any attention when I sent for you. I want you to ask my father why he told me to come back from Geshur. I was better off there. I want to see my father now! If I'm guilty, let him kill me.”
33 Joab went to David and told him what Absalom had said. David sent for Absalom, and Absalom came. He bowed very low, and David leaned over and kissed him.
Absalom ta filwa onghenda
1 Joab yaSeruja eshi a dimbulukwa nokutya, omutima wohamba wa kanyatela muAbsalom, 2 Joab okwa tuma kuTekoa va ka tale ko omukainhu omunaendunge ndele ta ti kuye: “Liningifa ngaashi ou ta nyika oluhodi u djale oshikutu sheefya. Ino vava omaadi, ndelenee kala ngaashi omwalikadi ou ta lili eefya omafiku mahapu omolwanakufya. 3 Inda hano kohamba ndele u mu lombwele ngaha.” Ndele Joab okwa tula mokanya kaye eendjovo.
4 Nomukainhu wokuTekoa okwa ya kohamba, ndele te linyongamene ndele ta wile eombe koshipala shayo poshi ndele ta ti: “Akutu tatekulu ohamba, kwafa!” 5 Opo nee ohamba tai mu pula: “Owa hala shike?” Ndele ye ta ti: “Oshili, aame omufiyekadi, omulumenhu wange okwa fya. 6 Nomupiya woye omukainhu okwa li e novana ovamati vavali, ndele vo aveshe vavali va twa eemhata poluhaela. Ndele kapa li nande umwe te va anuna, onghee hano umwe okwa denga mukwao nokwe mu dipaa.
7 “Ndele tala, epata alishe la fikama okukondjifa omupiya woye omukainhu ndele tali ti: ‘Yandja nakudipaa mumwaina, tu mu dipaele omwenyo womumwaina ou e mu dipaa po, nanakufyuulula tu mu teye po yo.’ Osho ngaha va hala okudima po ekala nde li xupifilwa, omulumenhu wange aha xupifilwe edina ile oludalo kombada yedu.” 8 Nohamba ya nyamukula omukainhu: “Inda keumbo leni, ame handi ka yandja ondaka omolwoye.” 9 Opo nee omukainhu wokuTekoa ta ti kohamba: “Omwene wange ohamba, etimba nali kale kombada yange nokombada yeumbo lange, ndelenee ohamba nolukalwapangelo layo kali noushima.” 10 Nohamba tai nyamukula: “Keshe umwe ou ta popi naave ngaha u noku mu eta kwaame, opo ye ite ku pyakidike vali.” 11 Ndele ye ta ti: “Ohamba nai dimbulukwe Omwene Kalunga kayo, opo omupuli wohonde aha wede po vali etimba, omumwange omumati aha nyonwe po.” Opo nee yo tai ti: “Oshili, ngaashi Omwene e nomwenyo, oluxwiki nande limwe lokomutwe womumwoye itali ka wila poshi!”
12 Nomukainhu ta pula: “Efa, omupiya woye omukainhu na popye natango ondjovo imwe nomwene wange ohamba.” Ndele yo tai nyamukula: “Popya.” 13 Opo nee omukainhu ta ti: “Omolwashike ove wa diladila u ningile oshiwana shaKalunga sha fa osho? Shaashi mokupopya ngaha ohamba ya fa ou e netimba, osheshi ohamba inai hala omweekelwashi mwene a aluke. 14 Osheshi fye otu nokufya efiku limwe, ndele hatu ningi ngaashi omeva a tilwashi medu, omunhu ita dulu oku a ongela vali. Ndele Kalunga ita kufa po omwenyo, ndelenee ota diladila nokutya, epongo liha kale la tukauka naye. 15 Onghee hano nde uya okupopya oshinima eshi nomwene wange ohamba, osheshi ovanhu va tilifa nge. Ndelenee omupiya woye omukainhu okwa diladila: Ame ohandi ka popya nohamba. Kashiimba ohamba tai ka ninga paendjovo domupiya wayo omukainhu. 16 Osheshi ohamba otai ka pwilikina shili opo i xupife omupiya wayo omukainhu meke lomulumenhu ou ta hetekele okukandula nge po pamwe nomumwange omumati moshitukulwafyuululwa shaKalunga. 17 Omupiya woye omukainhu okwa diladila vali: Ondjovo yomwene wange ohamba tai ka tulumukifa nge. Osheshi omwene wange ohamba i li ngaashi omweengeli waKalunga, a shiiva ouwa nowii. NOmwene Kalunga koye na kale naave!” 18 Opo nee ohamba tai nyamukula omukainhu ndele tai ti: “Ino holeka nge sha osho handi ke ku pula.” Nomukainhu ta ti: “Omwene wange ohamba na popye.” 19 Opo nee ohamba tai pula: “Mwaasho ashishe eke laJoab omo li li pamwe naave?” Nomukainhu ta nyamukula ndele ta ti: “Oshili, ngaashi omwenyo woye u nomwenyo, omwene wange ohamba, itashi dulika okukanduka po nande kolulyo ile kolumosho mwaado omwene wange ohamba tai popi. Heeno, omupiya woye Joab okwa lombwela nge ndele ye okwa tula eendjovo adishe edi mokanya komupiya woye omukainhu. 20 Opo a ete oshinima molupe limwe li lili omupiya woye Joab a ninga ngaha. Ndelenee omwene wange e nomayele omweengeli waKalunga ndele a shiiva ashishe eshi tashi ningwa kombada yedu.”
21 Nohamba tai ti kuJoab: “Hano tala, ehalo olo ame ohandi li wanifa! Inda hano u ka alule omumati Absalom, ne uye.” 22 Opo nee Joab te linyongamene poshi ndele ta tu oshipala shaye pedu ndele ta nangeke ohamba noupuna. Ndele Joab ta ti: “Nena eli omupiya woye e shi shii nokutya, ame nda filwa onghenda momesho oye, omwene wange ohamba, osheshi ohamba tai wanifa ehalo lomupiya wayo.” 23 Ndele Joab okwa fikama ndele ta i kuGesur nokwa eta Absalom kuJerusalem. 24 Nohamba ya tya: “Na ye meumbo laye, ndelenee ita mono oshipala shange.” Ndele Absalom okwa ya meumbo laye. Ndelenee oshipala shohamba ine shi mona.
25 Ndele muIsrael ashishe inamu kala omulumenhu nande umwe e nondjelo iwa nomutangwa ngaashi Absalom. Okudja koshififinwa fiyo opokati komutwe waye kamu nombudi yasha. 26 Ndele ye eshi e likululifa omutwe waye, osheshi e likululifa momudo keshe, osheshi da li di noudjuu kuye, oku di humbata, onghee hano e di kululifa, opo nee eexwiki dokomutwe waye da yelekwa neekilograma mbali paekilograma dohamba. 27 Ndele Absalom okwa dalelwa ovana ovamati vatatu nokakadona kamwe, edina lako Tamar, omukainhu muwa okutala.
28 Ndele Absalom okwa kala eedula mbali di yadi muJerusalem ndele ina mona oshipala shohamba. 29 Onghee hano Absalom a ifana Joab opo ye e mu twale kohamba, ndelenee ye ina hala okuuya kuye. Ndele okwa tumununa ko vali, ndele ye ina hala okuuya. 30 Opo nee ye ta lombwele ovapiya vaye ta ti: “Taleni, epya laJoab la shaama nepya lange, ndele li noilya. Indeni mu ke li xwike.” Ndele ovapiya vaAbsalom va xwika epya. 31 Opo nee Joab a fikama ndele te uya keumbo laAbsalom ndele te mu pula: “Omolwashike ovapiya voye va xwika po epya lange?” 32 Ndele Absalom ta ti kuJoab: “Tala, onde ku tumina ondaka. Ila oku, opo ndi ku tume kohamba u pule: ‘Omolwashike nde uya nda dja kuGesur? Ngeno nda li kwinya ngeno sha wapala.’ Paife nda hala okumona oshipala shohamba, ndele ngeenge ndi netimba yo nai dipae nge.” 33 Opo nee Joab a ya kohamba nokwe shi i shiivifila. Ndele oya ifana Absalom, ndele ye okwa ya kohamba nokwe linyongamena moipafi yayo oshipala shaye sha twa pedu koshipala shohamba. Ndele ohamba oya fipa Absalom komilungu.
